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Thursday thoughts: If Brian Urlacher’s path to opposing ball-carriers was as circuitous as it was to his retirement Wednesday (May 22), he never would have become the Hall of Fame caliber linebacker that he became. Urlacher, who turned down a deal with the Chicago Bears for 2013 at a reduced salary from previous seasons, apparently was unable to find another team that thought his services and skill level were worth what he must have imagined.
Anna Kournikova was at the Pacers-Heat game Wednesday. Not in this attire, though.
* Speaking of Urlacher, a favorite memory of the man who followed in the Bears middle-linebacker legacy (which included Hall of Famers Bill George, Dick Butkus and Mike Singletary)? Well, it had to be Paris Hilton at Soldier Field for a Monday Night Football encounter (which the Bears lost to the Green Bay Packers). Or maybe it was his romance with Jenny McCarthy. Or maybe … oh, you mean on the field? Never mind.
* Given his general discomfort with the media for much of his career, wondering how long before Urlacher finds himself behind a microphone and/or in front of a camera as a media member.
* After their 6-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox at U.S. Cellular Field, the Chicago White Sox said they would activate left-hander John Danks so he could make his season debut Friday in Miami against the lowly Marlins. Which is pretty much the same thing as making another rehab start in the minor leagues.
* Speaking of Miami, the Heat prevailed 103-102 in overtime against the Indana Pacers in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference final. In case Bulls fans thought there was only one team better Joakim Noah & Co. in the East. Something says if Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau had a player comparable to Pacers center Roy Hibbert, Thibs would not take him out on key defensive plays late in the game — as Pacers coach Frank Vogel did (twice!). Vogel’s strategy wasn’t quite Red Auerbach taking Bill Russell out of the game in such situations. Mainly because VOgel is no Auerbach, Hibbert is no Rusell and the Pacers are no Celtics.
* Speaking of the Heat-Pacers game, among those in the crowd was former tennis standout and eternal favorite around here Anna Kournikova. Which ought to send the photo research department around here scurrying to find a shot of her to run.
* Not sure which is the more interesting stat from the Sox-Sox game. Boston’s David Ortiz stealing third base for the first time in his career or Jeff Keppinger and Tyler Flowers each going 1-for-3 to raise or keep their batting averages barely above .200 (.204 for Keppinger and .202 for Flowers). White Sox fans can tell you which is more depressing. Especially when you factor in Adam Dunn (.163). Meaning these White Sox are on the verge of becoming the 21st century version of the “Hitless Wonders.” The main difference being the original “Hitless Wonders” won 93 games and defeated the Cubs in the 1906 World Series.
* Jeff Samardzija gives up one run on three hits with a walk and eight strikeouts in seven innings and sees his record fall to 2-6, as the Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the Chicago Cubs 1-0. In Samardzija’s losses, the Cubs have totaled 10 runs.
* The Cubs placed failing reliever Shawn Camp on the disabled list with a sprained toe. Which seems more like strained credulity. Sometimes when teams put ineffective pitcher on the DL (which the St. Louis Cardinals also just did with Fernando Salas), it seems about the equivalent of a youngster being sent to his/her room for bad behavior.
Some of us are a bit behind in our work — especially when it comes to having Raquel Pomplun on “Sports & Torts.”
If this is Thursday (and the likelihood would seem overwhelming that it is because yesterday was Wednesday — provided that today is May 23, 2013, or a subsequent Thursday), then it is time once again for the weekly edition of “Sports & Torts,” co-hosted by David Spada and Elliott Harris at noon Central time on Talkzone.com.
On this week’s show are a pair of Miami Dolphins legends and Pro Football Hall of Fame members: coach Don Shula and offensive guard Larry Little.
The photo accompanying the mention of this week’s “Sports & Torts” is not of Shula or Little (as if you couldn’t figure that one out). It is of 2013 Playboy Playmate of the Year Raquel Pomplun. Rest assured that the powers-that-be behind “Sports & Torts” are making every effort to have Raquel on the show in the not-too-distant future. Until then, this photo will have to suffice.
Anyway, if you miss the Shula and Little interviews or would like to enjoy an encore performance, the program will be available later in the day via podcast at Talkzone.com.
This is where we go to find our daily dose of non-gratuitous video, thanks to the diligence of the editorial and video staffs at elliottharris.com (and to the departments’ broad definition of “gratuitous”):
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